Machine for and process of forming metal into shapes



C. M. YODER July 22, 1930.

Filed May 24 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet vm mm 6 0 0 0 0 N Q a a w v f n S B R aw n 5 mm 0 0 0 9 Q Q Q 0 Q 8 Q m u:: 5 mm mm mm om d3 mm mm 3 on mm mm ATTORNEY July 22, 1930. c, YODER 1,770,963

5 OF FORMI' F'iled May 24, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 He. 20 m= F7 22 L INVENTOR F76, 23 W l/wbw He. 21

BY $4 M;

ATTORNEY July 22, 1930. c M, YODER 1,770,963

MACHINE FOR AND PROCESS OF FORMING METAL INTO SHAPES F'iled May 24, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 July 22, 1930. c. M. YODER 1,770,963

MACHINE FOR AND PROCESS OF FORMING METAL INTO SHAPES Filed May 24, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 fie. 14

, vide an improved shape in cross Patented July 22, 1930 UNETED, STATE Fries PATENT cater. u. some, or LAKEWOOD, onro maczinm ion AND raocnss' or romaine METAL mro shuns Application fled May 24,

This invention relates to, a machine for and process of forming sheet metal into shapes, more particularly for shapin metal sheets to impart to them strength an rigidity, whereby they be used. for various construction pur oses, including flooring, roofing, side wal s, linings, sheathing and the ike.

In certain ada tations of the sheet metal sections produced according to my process, they are used as foundations for roofing, floors, and walls or in a manner similar to shingling, weather boarding and in any of such uses the sections may be covered, for insulation or otherwise, by any. desired material in sheet or lastic form.

One object of the invention is'to provide an improved machine of this character that is relatively simple in construction and hasv large capacity.

Another object of the invention is to construct a machineof this'character capable of forming in metal sheets one or more ongitudinal grooves or channels of any desired section without afi'ectin the structural or molecular condition 0 metal betweenthe grooves or channels. I

Another object'of the invention is to providean'improved rocess of shaping sheet metal sections to orm in them reinforcements of any desired shape in cross section.

Another object of the invention is to ro-- process of shaping s set metal sections to form in them one or more hollow ribs. s

Other objects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which my invention relates from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. 1

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a machine embodying my invention and capable of carrying out the steps of my process.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the machine, with parts broken away.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 7. Fig. 4 is asection on the line H of Fi 9. Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55 of ig.

Figs. 6 to 16, inclusive, arefragmentary the . ridges the up 9 engage the upper 1926. Serial at. 111,186.

Fig. 181s a erspective view showing a portion of -the fi nished product.

Fig. 19 1s a perspective view of a portion of one of themetal sheets before passing so through the machine.

Figs. 20, 21, 22and 23 are fragmentary sectional views showing modified forms of channels and ribs which may be formed according to my rocess.

Refe'rrin to thedrawings, 1 indicates as an entirety a rame. preferably mounted on legs 2. 3. indicates a pair of s aced members, mounted vertically on the rame 1 and extending longitudinally thereof from end to end. he members 3 are provided with aligned recesses or openings 4, and in them are slidably and removably mounted pairs of bearing boxes 5, 5' each supporting one end of a shaft 6, carrying a roll 7 to Whlfih reference will later be made. The bearing boxes 5,

5', are mounted one above the other so as to support the rolls 7 inpairs in operative relationship for purposes which will later appear. The bearing boxes 5, 5, are provided with 3 ways on their opposite sides which engage the opposing walls of the openin 4; whereby they are uided' into position, tfilower box 5 preferabfy being seated on the end Wall of the adjacent opening 4. Between adjacent pairs bearing boxes :1. spring isinterposed and operating normally to move the upper box 5' upwardly, 9 indicates screws mounted in lates 10, each of which extends across or upper wall of the member manner, preferabl be understood by- 3 in any desired by cap screws 10, as will igs.-1 and 2. The screws bearing boxes, 5 so. as to ]l1St: and mamtainthem in. an predete'r mined relationship relative to the -lower bearing boxes inopposition to the tension of the springs 8. By thisharrangement and construction, the upper roll ofeac'h pair may be er or open endof one of the openings 4, eac plate 10 being secured to the 'is mounted in spaced varying distances from the lower roll de endent u on the gage of the metal sheet being shape The mountings for the opposite ends of the rolls 7 are preferably similar.

1, 1", indicate pairs of brackets supported at the opposite ends ofthe frame 1 and forming mountings for additional pairs of rolls 7 to which reference will later be made.

In the present form of construction I provide a plurality of pairs of rolls arranged in spaced relation, preferably e ual distances from each other, longitudinal y of the machine. For the purpose of identification of the several pairs of rolls, they are designated 11, 12, 1e, 14, 15,16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, and 22, respectively. 1

23 indicates as an entirety the driving means for rotating the sets of rolls 7. Of these driving means, 24 indicates a pulle loosely mounted on a transverse shaft, whic 1 a bracket 25, extending laterally from one side of the frame 1. 26 indicates a clutch having one element movably mounted on and keyed in any suitable manner to the driven shaft, the other element of the clutch being secured to the pulley 24 so that when the clutch is thrown in, the power transmitted to the pulley 24 will be transvmitted to the transverse shaft in a well known manner. I

27 indicates a inion mounted on the transverse driven sha t and meshing with gears 28, 29. By preference the transverse driven shaft is mounted intermediate the ends of the frame 1 and the drive for the sets of rolls 7 extend in op osite directions from said shaft, so that the pinion 27 drives the gears 28, 29, and these ears in turn drive idlers 30 and the latter rive gears 31, 32, respectively, as is clearly shown in Fig. 1. By preference each of the gears 31, 28, 29 and 32 drive three sets of rolls 7 in the following manner 33 indicates the extended end of the shaft 6 carrying the lower roll 7 of the set of rolls 13. 34 indicates a gear fastened to the shaft 33 and meshing with a gear 35 mounted on a stud shaft intermediate the sets of rolls 12, 13. The gear 35 meshes with a car 36 mounted on the extended end of the s iaft 6 for the lower roll of the set of rolls 12. 37 indicates'idlers suitably mounted on the adjacent frame member 3 and meshin with the gear 35. Theidlers 37 in turn mes with gears 38 fixed to the extended ends of the shafts 6 carrying the upper rolls 7 of the sets of rolls 12,13, 50 that the respective rolls of these sets are driven in opposite directions. 39 indicates a gear meshing with the gear 36 and loosely mounted on a stud shaft carried vlay the adjacent member 3.v The gear 39 meshes with a gear fixed to the shaft 6 of the lower roll 7 of the set of rolls 11, and this gear in turn meshes with, a gear 41 fixed to the shaft 6 .of the up er roll 7 of this latter set, whereby both rols are. positively driven in opposite directions. As justset forth it will for the lower roll 7 of this shaft 29 carries a I gear 42 which meshes with an idler 43. The

idler 43 in turn meshes with a gear 44 fixed to the shaft 6 of the lower roll 7 of the set of rolls 15. The gear 44 meshes with an idler 45 which in turn meshes with a gear 46 fixed to the shaft 6 of the lower roll 7 of the set of rolls 14. 47 indicates an idler in mesh with the idler 43 and also in mesh with gear 48 fixed to the shaft 6 of the upper roll 7 of the set of rolls 16. 49 indicates idlers in mesh with the idler 45 and meshing with gears 50, 51, fixed to the shafts 6 of the upper rolls 7 of the sets of rolls 14 and15; whereby the sets of rolls 14, 15 and 16 are driven from the gear 29, the rolls of each set being driven in opposite directions.

The sets of rolls 17, 18 and 19 are driven by the gear 28 in a manner'similar to the rolls 14, 15 and 16 and for that reason it will not be necessary to describe the driving elements therefor.

In my process of shaping sheet metal, a sheet thereof is passed through the sets of rolls 11,12, 13, 14,15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 and 22 successively from end to end of the machine and the shaping takes place progressively in the manner to be later set forth. F or the purpose of supportin the sheet between the sets of rolls, provi e upper and lower cross members 52, 53, the lower members being supported on the frame 1 and the upper ranged to accommodate the metal sections as shapin thereof progresses.

In the present form of construction and process of shaping the sheet metal A, the latter is formed with one or more channels or grooves B, B, B in parallel relationship and extending from end to end of the section or sheet'of metal. These channels or grooves may be of varying shapes in cross section, but in the illustrated form of construction, the grooves have bottom walls I) and side walls Furthermore, I prefer to impart to the metal additional steps whereby the side walls of the metal are compressed or brought together along their inner edges, or those edges that are contiguous to the body portion of the sheet A, so that the side walls are inclined fixed to the extended relative to each other, thereby forming hollow ribs (triangular in shape in the illustrated form of construction), on one side of the sheet and making the other side of the sheet A substlantially a continuous plane between its side e ges.

However, the invention is not to be limited to the illustrated form of construction wherein the channels or the ribs are disposed on the same side of the metal sheet section A, as they may be otherwise arranged, certain thereof on one side of the section and the others on the opposite side, since any of these arrangements may be effected by changing the rolls 7 to suit the desired conditions.

y reason of the fact that the metal formin r the bottom and sides of the channels or ri s are formed from portions intermediate the opposite side edges of the sheet metal section A, my process involves the formation of the ribs in successive or regressive order, so that ample metal is provided for the walls of each channel or rib and the intermediate portions of the metal constituting the resulting product,

In forming the channels or ribs, I may form the first channel along either side edge of the sheet metal section A and progressively form the remaining channels or ribs at spaced points laterally toward the opposite side edge of the sheet metal section A. To simplify the "f construction of the machine and to increase the speed of operation, I prefer to start and 'orm a pair of channels at either side of the first channel formed and then at the outer sides of the first pair of channels so formed to form another pair of channels and so on until channels have been progressively formed at either side of the first channel throughout the width of the sheet metal. In the illustrated form of construction live channels or ribs are shown, but by spacing them closer together or by using a sheet of greater width, a larger number of channels or ribs may be provided, Furthermore, while I have shown a form of construction in which one channel is first formed and pairs thereof are formed progressively at either side thereof, it will be obvious that one or more channels ma y be formed at either side of the first channel irrespective of the nun1- bcr formed on the other side thereof.

The section of metal Av is first passed between the set of. rolls 1]. (see Fig. 6). As shown, these rolls are provided with a groove 11 and a rib 11", respectively which cooperate to shape the metal as shown at 11; next the metal section A. passes between the set of rolls 12, which are formed with a groove 12 and a rib 12, respectively, which cooperate to shape the metal as shown at 12; next the metal section A passes between the set of rolls 3, which are formed with a recess 13 and a rib 13", respectively, which cooperate to shape the metal as shown at 13, thereby completely forming a channel or groove B having a bottom wall 6 and side walls b. Next, I start to shape the metal at either side of the first groove B to simultaneously form the channels B at either side of the channel B. The starting of the channel is preferably provided for in the set of rolls 13, these rolls being provided with grooves 13*" and rib 13 ri'ispectively which cooperate to shape the metal as shown at 13; also, to provide for the compressing of the side .walls 6, b, of the channels B, B, B together, to form hollow ribs the rolls 13 are shaped intermediate the grooves 13, 13" and ribs 13, 13, with correlated shaping portions 13, 13, which bend the meta] upwardly as shown at 13. Next, the sheet metal section A. passes to and between the set of rolls 14 which are provided with a groove 14; and a rib 14 corresponding to the channel B which has been previohsl y formed; these rolls are also termed with grooves 14"" and ribs 14" which shape the sheet metal into the form shown at 14; also between the grooves 143*, 14 and the ribs 14!, 14", respectively, the rolls It are provided with correlated shaping portions 14, 14 which urther bend the metal as shown at 141, Next, the sheet metal section A is passed to and between the set of rolls 15 which are provided with a groove 15 and a rib 15 respectively to receive the channel it and with grooves 15 and ribs 1'5" respectively, which shape the metal as shown at 15" to complete the ribs B; also, intermediate the grooves 15, 15*" and the ribs 15", 15 the rolls are provided with (SGlIfilfitQfl shaping portions 15 15', respectivelv, which complete the bending of the metal as shown at 15, and at 15", 15", the rolls 15 15, are provided with correlating shaping portions which bend the metal upwardly, as shown. at 15 Next, the sheet metal section A is passed to and between the set of rolls 13 which are shaped to receive the channels B, B and bent portions 15"; and also provided with grooves 16 and ribs 16 respectively, which cooperate to start the shaping of the next outer channels B also between the grooves 16 and rib 16 and the groove 16 and. rib 16, respectively, the rolls 16 are provided with correlated shaping portions 16, 16 which further bend the metal between the channels B and the portions of the metal which will form the channels B Next the sheetmetal A. is assed to and between the rolls 1? which are s aped to receive the channels B, B and the bent portions 15 and also provided with grooves 17 and ribs 17", respectively, which coo erate to shape the metal as shown at 17; a so be tween the grooves 17', 17" and the ribs 17", 17" respectively, the intermediate portions invention of the rolls 17 are provided with correlated shaping portions 17, l7 which cooperate to bend the metal as shown at 17. The section of metal A is then passed to and between the rolls 18 which are shaped to receive the channels B, B, and bent portions 15, and also provided with grooves 18 and ribs 18 respectively which cooperate to shape the metal as shown ill/18 and between the grooves 18, and 18 and. ribs 18, 18" respectively, the rolls are provided with cooperating shaping portions 18, 18 respectively, which cooperate to bend the metal as shown at 18. Next, the section of metal A is passed to and between the rolls 1?) which are shaped to receive the channels B, l3,- and the bent portions 143 18, and are also provided wit grooves 19 and ribs 19, respectively which cooperate to complete the shaping of the channels B B When the sheet metal section passes the rolls 19, the channels 13,78, 13*, are composed of bottom walls b and side walls I), at right angles thereto and in one adaptation of the the shaping process may be completed at this point except for the flanging of the sheet along one edge as shown at b when such flange desired. If the channels are to be shaped into this form, the intermediate bending operations already referred to, forming the bent portions 15*, 18, will not be required, in which event the channels B, B, B, will he formed and the intermediate portions of the metal will remain in. normal or flat position. "iii/here the process is continued. so as to compress or bring the inner edges of the side walls 5 together, as illustrated in Y and 18, the sheet metal section A. is passed to and through the rolls 20 which comprise ribs 20 in alignment with the channcls B, B, B and portions 20 which tend to partially flatten or straighten the intermediate portions 15", 13*, as shown at 20. Next, the sheet metal section A is passed to and between the rolls 21, which are "formed with grooves 21 to receive the channels B, B, B and cooperating shaping portions 21 21, respectively, which cooperate to completely flatten or straighten the bent portions 15, 18, thereby pushing or compressing the side walls 79' together at their inner edges, as shown at b. Next, the sheet metal section A is bent along one side edge to form the flange b the Hanging elements for this step being preferably provided at 21 21 on the rolls 20, 21. From the rolls 21 the section of metal asses between the finishing rolls 22 which preferably correspond in shape to the rolls Between the rolls 21,22, the frame 1 is rovided with a support 51 carrying a plurality of stud shafts 58 on which are loosely mounted uide rolls 59, which are arranged in pairs an cooperate to guide between them the channels B, B, B as shown in Fig. 17. Certain of the guide rolls 59 also function to h end. By this move the outer side walls 5' of the channels B and lateral portions of the metal section inwardly so as to complete the shaping of these outer hollow ribs.

As will be understood from Figs. 6 to 16,

inclusive, each of the rolls of the several sets thereof are formed from sections which are shaped and correlated to provide the shaping and forming elements above referred These roll sections for each roll are slidably and removably mounted upon the adjacent shaft 6 between and clamped together by collars 7 one of which is fixed to the shaft 6 near one end thereof and the other of which constitutes a nut engaging a screw threaded portion 6 provided on the shaft near its other form of construction it will be seen that the shaping elements of each set of rolls may be readily adjusted transversely of the shaft and also disposed in any desired spaced relation relative to each other, so that the channels may be spaced from each other any desired distance. Furthermore, it permits the shaping elements to he removed and other shaping elements substituted so as to provide for channels of different shapes in cross section. To provide for the positioning of the roll shaping sections, sleeves of the desired length are interposed on the shafts 6 between the outer shaping sections and the collars 7 a and sleeves, collars or shims may be positioned between the shaping sections when required.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I provide for the shaping of sheet metal sections in a rapid manner and for the forming of a plurality of channels or ribs without distorting of the metal or affecting its molecular condition. The resulting product may be used for various purposes including sheathing, foundations for walls, flooring, rooting, partitions and the like; also for reinforcement of concrete walls; also, the metal sections may be used as supports for a covering, including materials in sheet or plastic form. In the assembly ofthe sections, the channels or ribs may ,be secured to suitable supports or these elements may be disposed on the outer side of the sections in which event they will serve as an anchor or bond if plastic or cementitious material is used. In such uses, the channels or ribs impart to the metal sections strength and rigidity and therefore provide an adequate support with minimum weight.

To permit the sections to be readily correlated together, the fiange b on one section is inserted in between the side walls 6 of the outer rib of the other section so as to form a continuous roofing, flooring or wall, or a foundation therefor.

From the foregoing description, it will be obvious that by changing the shapes of the roller sections, varying shapes of channels or reinforcing ribs may be formed on the sheet the intermediate portions portions of the metal at one side ously oppositely bending metal sections, examples of which are shown in Figs. 20, 21, 22 and 23.

To those skilled in the art to which my invention relates many changes therein and widely differing embodiments and applications of the invention willSuggest themselves without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. My disclosures and the description herein are purely illustrative and are not intended to be in any sense limiting.

What I claim is:

1. The herein disclosed process which consists in passing a section of metal through and between sets of rolls, and first forming therein a channel, then in oppositely bending of the channel, then in forming in the metal section a channel along the outer edge of the bent portion, and finally flattening the bent portion of the metal.

2. The herein disclosed process which consists in passing a section of metal through and between sets of rolls, and first forming therein a channel, then in oppositely bending portions of the metal at one side of the channel, then in forming in the metal section a channel laterally of the outer edge of the bent portion, then in flattening the bent portion of the metal, and finally drawing inwardly the outer side Walls of the outer channel.

3. The herein disclosed process which consists in passing a section of metal through and between sets of rolls, and first forming therein a channel, then oppositely bending portions of the metal lateral to the channel and forming a channel along the outer edge of the bent ortion, and finally bending the side walls 0 each channel toward each other at their inner portions.

4. The herein disclosed process which consists in passing a section of metal through and between sets of rolls, and first forming therein a channel, then in oppositely bendin portions of the metal lateral to the channe and forming a channel lateral! of the outer edge of the bent portion and ally flattening the bent portion.

5. The herein disclosed process which consists in passing a section of metal through and between sets of rolls, and first forming therein a channel, then in op ositely bendin portions of the metal lateral to the channe and forming a channel laterally of the outer edge of the bent portion,then in simultanethe lateral portions of the metal and forming a channel laterally of the outer edges of the bent portion, and finally bending the side walls of each channel toward each other at their inner portions.

6. The herein disclosed process which consists in passing a section of metal through and between sets of rolls, and first forming therein a channel, then in oppositely bending portions of the metal lateral to the channel and forming a channel laterally of the outered e of the bent portion, then in oppositely ending the lateral portion of the metal and forming a channel laterally of the outer edges of the bent portion, and finally in flattening the bent portions.

7. The herein disclosed process which consists in passing a section of metal through and between sets of rolls, and first forming therein a channel, then in simultaneously oppositely bending portions of the metal lateral to the channel and forming channels laterally of the outer edges of the bent portions, then in flattening the bent portions, and finally in drawing in the outer walls of the last formed channels.

8. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a frame, sets of rolls mounted thereon and arranged to receive between them a section of sheet metal, means for driving said rolls, one set-of rolls bein shaped to form a longitudinal channel in t e metal section with adjacent oppositely bent portions and a succeeding set of rolls serving to form therein a longitudinal channel parallel to the first channel and beyond said bent portions, and means for bendin the side walls of each channel toward eac other at their inner portions.

In a machine of the class described, the combination of a frame, sets of rolls mounted thereon and arranged to receive bet-ween them a section of sheet metal, means for driving said rolls, one set of rolls being shaped to form a longitudinal channel in the metal section with adjacent oppositely bent portions and a succeedin set of rolls serving to form therein a pair 0 channels one at either side of the first channel beyond said bent rtions and parallel thereto, and means for ending the side walls of each channel toward each other at their inner portions.

10. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a frame, sets of rolls mounted thereon and arranged to receive between them a section of sheet metal, means for driving said rolls, one set of rolls being shaped to form a longitudinal channel in the metal section and succeeding sets of rolls serving to form therein an oppositely bent portion laterally of the channe and aseparate channel beyond the edge of the bent portion, and means for bending the side walls of each channel toward each other at their inner portions.

11. The herein disclosed process which consists in passing a sheet of metal through and between sets of rolls, first forming therein a channel, then bending an adjacent ortion of the metal out of the plane of the s eet and o positely from the channel, forming a secon channel laterally of the outer edge of the bent portion and finally flattening the bent portion back into the plane of the sheet.

12. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a 'frame, sets of rolls the sheet back into the original plane thereof.

13 The herein disclosed process wlnch consists in passing a sheet of metal through and between sets of rolls first to form therein e channel end then hendin adjacent portions of the metal out of he lane of the sheet, alternete bent portlons t ereof forming channels, and finally fiattenin the'bent portionsbetween the channels hac into the plane ol; the sheet;

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribe my name.

CARL Me YODER. 

